If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the laundry is sure its engine room. Often doubling as a utility room, boot room (bootility!) and even the dog’s room, every inch must count in this hardworking space. Let Roundhouse help you perfect the design, surfaces and storage that will make laundry day blues a distant memory…

Add an island

One popular item a luxury big kitchen design that can prove just as useful in a laundry is a stand alone kitchen island. Seriously handy for sorting and folding clothes, cleaning shoes and flower arranging, a kitchen island can really earn its keep. As laundry rooms are generally only used by one person at a time, you don’t need to allow as much passing room around the perimeter as you do in a modern kitchen design – 80-90cm is sufficient.

Slatted wood shelving under this bespoke kitchen island unit lends a classic country kitchen look, alongside plenty of space for stashing laundry baskets and linens. If the ceiling is high, install a pulley-style ceiling airer for drying delicates and wet weather gear – as heat rises, you’ll be amazed how quickly items will dry up high, even without any heating on. Try a pull-out wall-mounted airer for laundry rooms with low ceilings.

Control the chaos

The best way to maximise space in a laundry room is to install floor-to-ceiling built-in storage cupboards or even a pantry cupboard with drawers. A small set of steps hooked onto the door interior will provide quick access to the top cupboards. Organise tall storage according to frequency of use. Store regularly used items like detergents and laundry baskets on the lower shelves, and items that are more seasonal, such as trugs, picnic hampers and table linens, higher up.

Stacking laundry appliances frees up extra floorspace – and means you can load washed laundry directly into the drier without lugging it across the room! A large double bowl kitchen sink is invaluable for soaking whites, scrubbing stains and hosing down muddy outerwear before popping into the washing machine. Go as big as you can – a one and a half sink will also work – and choose a tap with pull-out hose for rinsing ease.

Make a clean sweep

Try not to create extra cleaning when planning a laundry room by selecting hardwearing surfaces that are easy to wipe down and won’t harbour dirt in awkward nooks and crannies. For example, a flat-fronted pantry style door like this one is quicker to run a damp cloth over compared to a framed or bevelled design that will collect dust in the corners. Choose modern worktops in durable materials like composite stone or stainless steel. Flooring should be mop-friendly, and impervious to water spills. Porcelain tiles are an excellent choice, but they don’t have to be dull – go for a warm wood-look design or modern concrete effects. 

Embrace colour

Often neglected on the decorating schedule, a beautifully designed laundry room can do so much to enhance time spent on household chores. A splash of colour, like this blue basement laundry, can really lift the space, while a favourite print and stylish accessories will elevate it beyond the humdrum. Different types of kitchen work surfaces and eye-catching colours can really help disguise and distract from any awkward or unattractive architectural features, too.

Taking colour inspiration from your bespoke kitchen cabinets and walls is an effective way to boost the sense of continuity through your home. Alternatively, go for an unexpected colour shift to provide daily joy as you enter. Few guests will ever see your laundry room, unless invited, so why not embrace the opportunity to experiment with colours you may not typically choose?

Where do you put a laundry room in a small house?

Many smaller homes and urban apartments don’t have the luxury of a separate laundry room, but there are plenty of alternative solutions. The main priority is to get laundry appliances out of the kitchen design, if at all possible, especially if you enjoy open view living. Laundry areas can be carved into the teeniest of nooks, perhaps under the stairs, in an alcove or by stealing a chunk of garage or dead space by the back door. A well-insulated garden shed can even do the job, but it does need to be close to the house for plumbing connections and to reduce your journey time. On the Continent, it’s not unusual to install laundry provisions upstairs, closer to the bedrooms where most dirty laundry originates, and to which clean laundry is returned. Clever!

Our expert kitchen designers can help you make the best choices for your Roundhouse bespoke kitchen, furniture or wardrobes. Visit any of our seven Roundhouse showrooms; Wigmore St, Clapham, Fulham, Richmond, Cambridge, Guildford & Cheltenham and get planning!